As peace finally returns to East Delhi’s riot-affected Trilokpuri area, the police have stepped up their investigations to round up suspects who had fuelled last month’s post-Diwali violence.

As peace finally returns to East Delhi’s riot-affected Trilokpuri area, the police have stepped up their investigations to round up suspects who had fuelled last month’s post-Diwali violence.

Police said they had identified the man, who was caught on camera wielding a pistol and firing a shot as violence flared in the area.

The accused, police said, was a history-sheeter and had a number of criminal cases against him. He had been caught on tape by a resident who filmed him firing a shot in the direction of the crowd, just seconds before both the groups pelted stones and clashed with each other.

A police team had conducted raids at his residence but found him to be absconding.

The police are on the lookout for a young man, who had attempted to snatch a service revolver from an inspector, which led to a scuffle in which an accidental shot was fired.

The officers have sought help from residents and urged them to forward videos related to the violence to them. Sources claimed that the local Mayur Vihar police station officers had received numerous videos from residents which were being analyzed. The videos show residents pelting stones and damaging shops in the area.

Meanwhile, the police questioned former BJP MLA Sunil Vaidya and his associates who were allegedly spotted moving around in front of his office at Block 21, just minutes before the riots broke out. Investigating officers, however, said prima facie, there was no direct evidence to connect Vaidya to the riots.

While explaining his location at the time of the riots, he is learnt to have told the police that he had saved two residents from being attacked by the mob on the second day of the violence.